Give Yourself a Break

Limiting beliefs can cause us to stop trying new things. With our new challenge of stepping up our practice, there are times when what we have been through in life may stop us from achieving what we think we can’t do. So my personal challenge is to suspend my limiting beliefs gently and remove “I can’t” from my thoughts.

Each of us has a friend, family member, or some media source that causes us to think a certain way or maybe even puts an idea in our head that we just can’t shake. In the world of psychology we surround ourselves with things that confirm our biases. Can you imagine what we might conquer if we were to release those things? Now apply this to our yoga practice.

So I tried a handstand and never got off the floor…what is the big deal anyway? Saying this one too many times may cause me to think that I can’t do a handstand. Change the mindset and nothing will be limiting. As an example, I may choose to begin the practice of handstand step by step and for a longer amount of time. Maybe the last time I tried it I expected to get to the top rung of the ladder right out of the shoot. This time I plants my hands on the mat, make sure they are aligned under my shoulders and then lean a little bit of weight into the hands. Maybe I begin to lift a leg. Then I realize my breath, I am holding it…this is what I need to work on. All of a sudden the bias, the limitation has begun to release. It is not that I can’t do a handstand… I was expecting too much of myself too soon. This is a new day, a new pose, a new focus, and the start of new new thought process. I CAN and I WILL!

Give yourself a break, the first of five Yamas is all about nonviolence – Ahimsa. By limiting ourselves we begin to think negatively. When we think negatively our compassion and love for ourselves may decrease. We must love who we are, what we can do today, and where we are in the present moment. When we offer compassion to ourselves we can extend that to all other beings. We practice ahimsa. When we judge ourselves we cause harm and create negative self talk.

Love and kindness are words that are consistently repeated throughout our yoga practice.
Begin the path of kindness, compassion, love. Instead of judging yourself by asking “What the heck was I thinking!?” ask with kindness “What was I learning?” Then fill the whole body with breath and let the answer find you, don’t look too hard just let it come to you.

You are beautiful, you are worth it, you are amazing, and you are loved!

~Lorriane

ABOUT AUTHOR

Elizabeth Delaney

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